Dumb computer virus story

["Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah" <rMslade () shaw ca>]

I really don't know who is more ignorant here, the city authorities "protecting" 
the computers, or the journalist writing up the story ...

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Virus+attacks+city+computer+system/446266
4/story.html

If you know anything about the technology, this is howlingly funny (or, it would 
be, if it weren't so sadly representative ...)

"Per Kristensen, director of information and technology, said he was shocked by 
how quickly the virus infected the system.

"The first time anyone anywhere in the world noticed this new virus was on 
[March 15] and then it hit us on the 16th," he said Thursday."

(How many new viruses are "created" every day, these days?)

"People can be assured that all their information is secure. Protection of their 
personal information is a priority. The city's system won't be turned on until we 
are confident we have this solved," he said.

(Ummm, how are you going to clean up the computers if they are turned off?)

"We've got multiple levels of protection and firewalls, but nothing recognizes 
this."

(Yeah, firewalls do a GREAT job against viruses ...)

"We may have to shut down throughout the weekend and we won't put the system 
back up until we know we have this under control. And right now, we don't know 
how long that will be."

(Based on this, I'm not holding my breath ...)

======================  (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade () vcn bc ca     slade () victoria tc ca     rslade () computercrime org
         Justify my text?  I'm sorry but it has no excuse.
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://www.infosecbc.org/links
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
http://twitter.com/rslade
_______________________________________________
Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.